Camping Season Ending For Some

[AZsix]

As Autumn is taking a firm hold on many parts of the country, I know that many of you are sitting around thinking of how many more trips you can get in before it gets too cold and are making plans to winterize your pup. Looking back at a summer that saw a lot of us altering our camping plans due to high gas prices I was just wondering how this past year stacked up to years past. For us it was our first full summer with the pup so I don't have anything to compare it to. We did have to alter our plans slightly from two big trips to one but did manage a number of closer trips that were great. Our one big trip was to the Grand Canyon and that was an unbelievable and memorable trip. Fortunately the Grand Canyon is a local trip for us so we were able to have a "big" trip without going far.

Perhaps by staying closer to home many of us got to discover and explore new places we may not have considered in the past. For us, we got to discover a great cg an hour and a half from home just down the road from a river with a great swimming hole. We enjoyed it so much the first time that we made a return trip the following month. Arizona, where I live is such a diverse state with lots to see and do. I could camp, never leaving the state and never get to all the places that I would like to. Cooler weather here means more opportunities to camp even closer to home without the scorching summer heat.

I would love to hear your experiences and if those that did stay closer to home discovered any hidden treasures in their own backyard that they may not have known about or maybe had never gotten around to experiencing because you were busy going elsewhere.

I know that for most of us, camping is about being together as a family and spending quality time together and maybe that by altering our plans, that experience may well have been enhanced by simplifying a little.

[Starryart]

AAHH!! Tis finally the season for camping for DH and I. The hot humid south TX summers are not fun to us even with a/C, so when fall starts we rejoice. Fall winter and spring are our camp times.
We have 10 days planned for Thanksgiving week. The school district I teach at planned a whole week off ( why- I don't know). I will stay at the cg and Dh will drive in to work each day. We will stay in our fav cg ,the SP only 30 miles away.
I can't wait to roast a big ol chicken in my dutch oven for Thanksgiving day. Yum!! My brother and his family will camp also. My mom and stepdad will come down for the day and feast.
I am so looking forward to that week.

[wavery]

AAHH!! Tis finally the season for camping for DH and I. The hot humid south TX summers are not fun to us even with a/C, so when fall starts we rejoice. Fall winter and spring are our camp times.
We have 10 days planned for Thanksgiving week. The school district I teach at planned a whole week off ( why- I don't know). I will stay at the cg and Dh will drive in to work each day. We will stay in our fav cg ,the SP only 30 miles away.
I can't wait to roast a big ol chicken in my dutch oven for Thanksgiving day. Yum!! My brother and his family will camp also. My mom and stepdad will come down for the day and feast.
I am so looking forward to that week.

Here in SoCal.......we call them thar big ol' chickens....... "Turkeys".

[jeepmaniowa]

I think I've convinced the DW with the help of DS 1 & 2, to get one more camping trip in this coming weekend.  My fingers are crossed.

This is my 1st season with a popup (purchased Aug 22, 2008).

I'm learning something each trip.  Making things easier or better.

And I hope to do some winter camping in the garage.  

Garage is heated, so I'd be somewhat cheating, but who cares.  

I usually have a bunch of turkeys over at Thanksgiving time also.  Up here in Iowa, we call them inlaws and relatives.  

Later,

Bob

[CajunCamper]

I'm with Starryart, here in south Louisiana folks are just now saying, thank goodness camping weather is finally here. Our camping season is typically mid September through mid June.

I have never been in a situation where I would consider it too cold for camping. The coldest temps we ever camped in without hook ups was just below freezing and it wasn't a problem.

CajunCamper

[miss kathy]

I have a trip planned next month and will do another in Dec, Jan, Feb,March

I guess I can say camping will not end this year for me- just getting started.
 :#

[bud121156]

We stopped too soon last year.....it  was our first year camping. We gonna go  a little deeper into  the  winter  this  year.We have reflectix,gizmos ,ceramic heaters,  and if necessary, a big buddy heater......just no snow or ice!

[BuddyBear]

Well I guess it's that time of year again, the bird baths in the back yard are iced over in the morning and the aspen are changing colors out front.
Fall break last week was our last outing of the season (4 nights) at our favorite NF CG just outside of town.
It has been a great season for us averaging 2 mid week trips a month starting in March.  All of our outings have been to local CG within 10 to 20 miles of home with the majority of them being at Hill Top CG just above Lynx Lake.
We spent alot of time this year panning for gold on Lynx Creek, it's a great way to spend time in the outdoors with the family and actually found a bit of placer gold.
In the next week or so I'll get the Pup winterized and then settle in for a great season of AZ Sundogs Hockey.
Take Care and Happy Trails
BB
Pat M.

[AZsix]

Well I guess it's that time of year again, the bird baths in the back yard are iced over in the morning and the aspen are changing colors out front.
Fall break last week was our last outing of the season (4 nights) at our favorite NF CG just outside of town.
It has been a great season for us averaging 2 mid week trips a month starting in March.  All of our outings have been to local CG within 10 to 20 miles of home with the majority of them being at Hill Top CG just above Lynx Lake.
We spent alot of time this year panning for gold on Lynx Creek, it's a great way to spend time in the outdoors with the family and actually found a bit of placer gold.
In the next week or so I'll get the Pup winterized and then settle in for a great season of AZ Sundogs Hockey.
Take Care and Happy Trails
BB
Pat M.

Pat,

You need to come down off the hill and camp with us here in the east valley. McDowell Mtn RP, Lost Dutchman SP and Usery Mtn RP are some nice ones around here. You can't watch hockey all the time can you?

[BuddyBear]

You can't watch hockey all the time can you?

OH!!! Thems fighten words around these parts... :J

No, not all the time but it is good, fun family entertainment and there really isn't a lot to do up here in the winter when it's bone cold outside and you have to work weekends while the rest of the world is having fun.
Also, we are season ticket holders so I hate to see the $$$ go to waist.
Nov. thru Feb. are kinda hectic months, I'm a manager for a large Italian Restaurant, (take a guess) and the holidays are nuts with little time off for family and friends.
I am planning on winterizing not quite to the extreme that I did last year so if the occasion arises it will be possible to use the Pop, just not the water system.
Or I guess I could always flush the system out at the CG if there was water then pump it full of pink stuff before leaving, thats an option also..
There are a lot of great places to camp down there..Gotta see how my schedual works out.
And DW.. I know my DD is always ready to go camping.
Keep on Kamp'n
Keep in touch.
BB

[4Campers]

Here in Southern Ohio some brave ones may camp until December, but I think we had our last trip out for the year this past weekend. With night time temps in the 50's it does get chilly in the pup with only a space heater to warm us. When we purchased the pup, we could afford either a furnace or an A/C. Being from the north, we opted for the A/C.
We definately camped more this year than last though, and enjoyed every outing. (well, maybe not the one where the 5th wheeler that pulled in late Sat. smelled like it just hit a skunk) :%  We also stayed closer to home due to gas prices, and found a couple of new (to us) cg's that we enjoyed.
I'm jealous of those who live in the south and get to camp all year!

[jpcjtrtj]

All right Ms. Kathy, where the heck are you camping this time of year?   We're freezy cats at my house. . . .  :-()